Giving credit where it’s not due

Former U.S. president Harry Truman said that there was no limit to what one can achieve as long as you didn’t care about getting the credit. But your recent editorial crediting the Liberal government for raising the minimum wage to $10.25 does a discredit to many activists who pushed the Liberals to act.

The $10 Wage Bill was not first tabled by Liberals but by the NDP. Your own Star articles highlighted that fact and fought for the bill’s passage. Also the bill became the subject of an across-province campaign that was spearheaded by Toronto and York Region Labour Council, Workers Action and the Ontario Federation of Labour. It was, in fact, the theme of International Women’s Day and its central demand.

A by-election that saw Paul Ferreira elected in York South Weston was fought and won in part based on the NDP and Labour’s demand for a 28 per cent increase in the minimum wage.

Then and only then did the Liberal government act. Then, later, it failed to raise the minimum wage to $11 as promised.

We need action now. No more study is needed. Those who work full time should not have to use food banks and should be able to afford their rent. This is not now the case.